The monumental matchup Mary and UNDY Thursday, August 27th. I go back to the last time there at Key Stadium, they put 38 on and we haven't had that happen in a long time. We're going to have Chip on our shoulder, too. Very good football. There's no question. It's good ball.
It's good stuff. Division 2 UN Indie. This is coach Chris Kever. 58 and 14 as head coach of the Hounds. What is the next step for UN Indie football? It's going to be a battle.
Ted's going to get them going. You know, we're trying to win national championship. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are, however you may be listening. Thanks for tuning [music] in to the Get Indiana Podcast Network. My name is Dominic Miranda and I've been covering sports for nearly a decade, most of which right here in Indianapolis. This is the Get In Sports Podcast.
We're going to be covering everything in the Hooser State, high school, college, pro, in the sports capital of the universe in the greatest state on planet Earth. Thanks so much for coming on this journey with us. Let's get into it. On today's episode of Get In Sports, football season is here and this begins a month full of talking to head coaches in and around our great state. He spent nearly his entire life in the state of Indiana. He's been at the University of Indianapolis since 1994 and been head coach of the Hounds since 2019.
We are pleased to welcome on UN Indie head football coach Chris Keevers. Coach, thanks so much for making some time. We're we're in football, so you don't have much time to spare. Thank you for making some time for us. No, happy to be here. really excited about the game and and anything I can do to promote the game I'm going to do.
Yeah, absolutely. Well, I mean we I want to talk about all things U Indie with you because what a journey it's been for you. But I want to know about the start of your journey just here in Indianapolis. You grew up here. John Marshall High School. Y is that is that still I'm a far east side of that place.
It's closed. They sold the building this year. I mean it's over with. Yeah. Greg Greg Straw was like John Marshall High School. I'm like wait a minute I don't know where that but anyway.
Uh what was your experience like growing up in Indianapolis? Grew up on the far east side. Uh you know and um IPS and we were really good in football. Everybody everybody was really good. I mean you know Indianapolis and and Mar this the public schools were good in football back then. I mean it wasn't you know they we could we were better than the than the than the county schools but you know it's so you know I I graduated 84 at Marshall in ' 82.
We were really good. And you know, at one point there was four of us playing in the Big 10, defensive linemen. Wow. From one school. So, uh, Finch, Fleming, Mccur, and myself were all played in the Big 10, you know, in the in the mid late 80s. So, so it, I mean, it was really good football.
Uh, you know, tough place. You know, it was uh uh, you know, I I went to junior college, right? Yep. Um, out in Kansas. Purdue put me there and I had to, you know, do well in school and do well as a player and they take me back and they took me back. I graduated in in January.
Uh, three semesters I got out of I was I was always a good student. I just didn't go to school at Marshall. So, [laughter] right. So, I graduated three semesters uh then from Jo and then then got to Purdue for my spring. So, spring so I could start my junior year. So, end up starting my junior and senior year and then I coached there for three years.
So, uh, learned a lot, you know, learned that division one really wasn't, you know, it was it was tough. We were we we didn't win much and and the pressure and and it ran downhill and I was a GA. So, so it was uh um learned a lot though. Yeah. Yeah. So, wait, I did have down here two-year stint at Coffeeville Community College in Kansas.
So it was a deal with Purdue though that they said they kind of placed you there. Is that right? Ray Sherman came in late in the process, saw some film and and Ray end up being with he played he coached in the NFL for a lot of years, but he he said, "Hey, we're going to put you in Coffeeville and uh uh and if you play well, you you'll get to go to Purdue." So I I end up playing pretty well and and nobody, you know, I wasn't allowed to get recruited, so nobody else recruited me. you know, Indiana was calling my house and calling my parents, but but uh uh Purdue put me there. I was going to go back to Purdue, so that was kind of the situation.
Uh uh you know, ended up playing uh Northwestern, Ted Carris was a D lineman at Northwestern. Oh, is that right? Yeah. When when I was a junior and Ted was a senior because Ted is much older than I am. I'm joking. [laughter] So, I love it.
So, uh uh yeah. So, you know, it's our our paths have crossed. I've kn Ted for years. Yeah, that's really cool. Now, two of the, you know, premier non-division 1 institutions, especially football-wise here in here in Indianapolis. Yeah, not bad at Coffeeville Junior College All-American honorable mention, by the way.
Good stuff. Yeah, it was we we were we were 20 and four, won, you know, and won two championships. Wow. Uh my roommate was Jeff Wright. Started three Super Bowls for the Bills. We were loaded.
We we had a very good football team. Loved Kansas. Loved being out there. I was I was going to ask. Yeah. How was that?
just because it's uh it was you know 12 12,000 people in the town just a total uh you know switch from from uh uh you know growing up in the city right so uh really liked it uh you know and uh met some really good people and my college my first college roommate we're still buds we played golf uh he came in Indianapolis we played golf I go out we play in Kansas City he's always at the game oh cool so you know that was 40 years ago so you know when you win 20 games in two years you're going to stay close with uh with those guys and I we have a group checks to like probably 35 guys. Wow. That uh uh that that I played with those two years. That's really cool. Pretty special. And then yeah, two-year starter at Purdue.
I mean, obviously the the allegiance there. You said Purdue set you up there. You're going to come back to Purdue playing in the Big 10. Kind of in an interesting era there um with Purdue football. But did you enjoy that experience? I mean, you got a lot of playing time, you know.
Yeah. I started for two years. Um you know, I I I don't like losing. You know, we won we won through, you know, Rod Woodson was my teammate my junior year and you know, we and he was really good, but we weren't very good. Jeff George was our quarterback. He was a freshman.
How about that? Um, and I, you know, we won two games. I think we won two and then, uh, uh, beat Indiana the last game. Put Rod Woodson at tailback. He ran for 93 yards, couple big kickoff returns, and and played on 90 snaps of of defense. And that's how we won our second game.
[laughter] That's that's what we needed. But uh met some nice people. Uh you know it just it's tough losing and and uh uh and then the next year we we went up with we had a new coach Fred Acres came in and and we were 37 and one but you know I was very fortunate to play for two years. Had a you know had a good experience. My down the street you know my you know down I was 60 mi from Indianapolis. My parent my family could come see me play.
It was it was uh it was it was pretty special. Yeah. What's playing with Rod Woodson like? Did you guys know? I mean, this guy is Oh, no. You You walk in and you know like that's the best player I've ever seen.
[laughter] I just saw Rod at a at a coach's convention and I went talked to him. He couldn't remember me. [laughter] He played, you know, he's played on he played 16 years NFL. Unbelievable career. Like we we we played together we started for, you know, 11 games. [laughter] Come on, man.
He was great. He told me I had a very forgettable face. Ouch. Come on, man. That's funny. Oh my word.
Rod Woodson. Yeah, it's funny. I'm just I'm gonna do a video on him literally tomorrow. Um we do like a who's your high school heroes and every everyone in the comments since I started got to do Rod Woodson. Got to do Rod Woodson. I'm like, "All right, I'm going to do it."
He he picked a ball off at Iowa uh in the corner of the end zone and went 109 yards. Oh my word. And that's what the film they used on on when they put him in the Hall of Fame in the college hall of fame. and I'm running next to him for a very short time [laughter] and my and my stride is awful and he just zooms right back. [laughter] That's so awesome. What a interesting teammates and and just a career and then and then you graduate Purdue and No, you don't like to lose.
Okay. So, that kind of shaped I'm wondering how you kind of felt that coaching was calling your name and that you could have an impact at that kind of way on football. You know, I was sitting there. It was spring of we just got a new coach and and I had gone through spring with a new coach. Bill Michael was uh was our my position coach. His is uh Barry Switzer's college roommate.
So, oh my word. How about these connections? The name drops in uh seven minutes of podcast time. My goodness. I got some name drops. So, nobody else listens to my story, so I'm happy to tell.
We're ready. We're ready. Let's do it. So, uh Bill Michael at the end of it, you know, he could tell I love football. He said, "You know, Zan," he says, "s uh I want you, you know," he told the whole team, he said, "You're a good player, but you're not going the pros." I knew that.
I saw Rod Woodson. I knew I was getting an education, but I said, "Uh," he said, "You're going to come out and coach with us." So, I said, "Oh, that's fantastic." So, that's how I I'll be a coach. I was going to I was taking every sales course. I was going to sell stuff, play a lot of golf, and have a bunch of fun, but uh [laughter] but instead, I work every day and uh uh have a bunch of fun.
Right. That's really cool. And I mean it didn't take you long to get back to home for you. I mean couple years at Purdue and then a couple years in California and then a chance to come and work for you Indie. So how did those first, I don't know, say four to six years of your coaching career shape you and then getting that opportunity to come home? Sounds like it was kind of a no-brainer.
Well, I I worked for Phil Bennett and I really liked Phil. He's a really good football coach. Became the head coach at SMU. Was a defense coordinator at&m uh K State when they were really good, you know. So, I I really liked Phil uh treated me very well and I learned a lot from him uh while I was at Purdue and we just couldn't get we were very successful and we just couldn't get it right and it was so stressful. Yeah.
And I I I took and he set me up I went over I interviewed with Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin. Oh wow. And Barry gave me a GA job in January. I had I was going to graduate with my masters in in August. I mean, in late July and I was going to go to Wisconsin and be a GA and I was like, I just got done being a GA for three years and I was like, I can't do this anymore. I can't be somebody's, you know, whipping boy for I just couldn't do it.
So, I we uh I tried to get a job. I got a job out in California. Mike Rasmmanson, a guy who was OC became was a division 2 school, St. Mary's College, California. Yeah. Uh we were down below and Hammer was up in the hills in Oakland back when he was hammer was on fire.
So, uh, so really liked division 2, liked the, uh, kids, uh, liked the administrators. People were straight up, they were, uh, much more less of a business, much more of a just a fun experience. And I I really like that part of it. Uh, so, you know, uh, I just, uh, I I I was there for three years, ran it, we had a baby out there, and I couldn't afford to stay out there anymore. So, no. Then Joe Pitzy hired me here at at he just got hired from Hillsdale at UNDY and and uh you know had some success.
You know we we lost lost lost and had some uh some real success in the late 90s and then it kind of cooled off and uh uh so you know that that was kind of how I got there. I was happy to you know I came home for the interview and boy there was pressure you know my whole family's here and then you know I had a baby and they're like we want you back. [laughter] Sir, that was a pressure interview if I've ever had one. So, right. So, you know, it's, you know, I've been here 33 years. I really like the people at UND.
I like the administration. I get treated well, you know, and you know, the best thing about our place is our players. We got really good people and I really enjoy being around them and, you know, I've never chased money. I grew up, you know, post road, east side. I've never had money. I don't, you know, people say, "Why don't you, you know, oh, you've won so much.
Why don't you go some?" I like where I'm at. Don't be afraid to be happy. I mean, it's Right. I' I've been in bad football experiences. It's not fun.
No, I I'm a pretty good place. So, I mean, I I'm, you know, I've done this enough to know I'm in a good spot and I'm not going to go, you know, chase something that could bite me and and and you know, I want to be loyal to my kids and to the program and to our university. So, that's really cool. You don't see that much anymore. And did you know I mean when you got that job to come back to UND did you have a feeling it's like okay I mean if things go well say these first few years like it's it's just going to further that belief to me that I think I can stay here for a while? Not really.
Or did you not really go into it with that? I didn't go into it with that you I didn't I mean uh you know so it was just kind of you know we we things were you know I I really enjoyed what we were doing and then you know then things didn't go very well and and things got bad for a while and you know it was so it was some ups and downs and just try to survive at you know in the business for a while. I mean we were weren't very good and you know we just was not it was going sideways and so you know it's we we were Bob Bart Laameo got hired you know at UND and kind of saved my coaching career uh kind of kind of uh uh got me loving football again. He got me I love the way he did things. He was organized. He was uh was all about football.
He treated the kids well, but was really hard on them and and uh uh you know and we got better and better and won a lot of ball games and you know and so it's uh uh you know it was uh when he got hired it really made a difference for my career. And you know I tell him all the time I said I just I use all your stuff. [laughter] I come to my office. It looks just like his office. I mean, he, you know, I, you know, do a little things my way, but, you know, I've learned what he he taught me everything and and basically gave me the job. So, you know, you know, we've had some success and, you know, and I, you know, I go back to Bart, you know, Bart's the best football coach I' ever been around.
Yeah. What So, what is it about him? Because, yes, there was this shift of under him six conference championships and it just feels like two or three losses max every single season. So, what was it that he brought that kind of flipped that switch? And you say best coach you've ever been around? Like, why is that?
What is it about him? You know, and Joe Tiller was my position coach my senior, my junior year at Purdue. That's pretty cool. Uh, [clears throat] he was, he was Dline D coordinator. But, uh, Bart is organized. He's organized.
He's, you know, he's a great communicator. Um, you know, he he has a plan. We're doing it his way. We're not, you know, we're going to stay on that plan. He coaches the coaches. He coaches the players.
He coaches the administration. I mean, he he just he, you know, he had it down. He had it down. Won championship. He won the gleak at Butler, you know, he as a head coach, you know, and he would have stayed if they didn't, you know, they lost like their scholarships and he left. So, he don't blame him.
He went to Butler after he went to Ball State after that to be the coordinator. But you know uh it you know he was he just you know just made me the way he did it made me really love football again and love that you know it it was it was you know it was uh a lot of fun and I enjoyed every minute and we worked our tails off and I enjoyed every minute of it you know and it and and then you know he he taught me and taught me and then gave me the job basically you know so yeah he he waited he he knew he was going to retire, but he went out we all went out recruiting for two weeks and then we had our big recruiting weekend and he went and told the president, "I'm retiring. You got to hire Kever." [laughter] I love that. So, he had he had the he [clears throat] had the kind of cache to do that though, right? Like I mean Right.
He he had the [clears throat] opportunity to pick a successor. I mean, you know, he had a lot of success. That's so what from, you know, when you first get there to Bob Bartameo to being the head coach, what has that evolution been like for you and how much pride do you take in just being here as long as you have and it seems like you do take a lot of pride in that? Yeah. No, there's no question. Um I mean I love the University of Indianapolis.
I got two sons that that are well one graduates in December and one just graduated. So, you know, I've got two sons that that are going to have degrees from University of Indian Minneapolis and uh and uh uh you know, I they've treated me well. They they've you know, they've always been upfront and honest with me and and uh uh they've given me an opportunity to win a bunch of ball games and have a great experience with a bunch of players. You bring our players in from, you know, from when Bart became head coach to now and and those guys had great football experiences because they were loved and care. I learned a long time ago, if you love and care for your players, they are going to when it comes time when it gets tight, they're going to fight their tails off. And that's what's the secret?
Care about them. Listen to them. You know, be present. Be around. You know, that's you know, when they need you that they feel like they can call you. My door is always open.
I tell them you you come in that office, we're in that we're in the staff room, knock on the door. You're more important than what we're doing. So, you know, there's, you know, and then Bob taught me that, you know, Bart taught me that. So, uh, it's, you know, it it's been a it's been a wonderful ride and I'm not done. I mean, I'm 60 and I'm a young 60, so I'm I'm not going anywhere. I I don't have any hobbies.
It's terrible at golf, so Oh, man. Yeah. So, not not in a hurry to get on the golf tour, right? [laughter] The retiring sounds awful to me. I need to go to work. Yeah, you're going to get bored, man.
What's What's better than winning a bunch of football games? uh you've been 58 and 14 as head coach uh at a place you you care about and you mentioned what Bartameo meant to you coach. What was that moment like when you when you realized you were you were going to be the head coach for the first time? You know, it was uh Barded, you know, he can't he he told me before the season, he said, "Listen," he said, "If you don't tell anybody and I'm going to I'm going to retire late and I'm going to make sure you get the head coaching job, but if you tell somebody, I don't know if I can do it." I said, "I'm not I didn't tell my wife. I This was in August."
So then, uh, you know, we go out for two weeks recruiting. We have this big recruiting meeting and he walks in and he says, "Hey, I'm retiring. Ke's gonna be the head coach." He throws the keys at me. He said, "Good luck." [laughter] So, so then he uh uh you know, so then he goes and the AD called me and said, "Hey, I got to talk to the president tonight.
I'll let you know Monday." So, we had the staff meeting on Monday and the AD hit me on the shoulder and gave me Sue Willie, who's wonderful. She gave me the thumbs up and and I I got the job and it was it was a relief because, you know, you never know what's going to happen. But I had a good relationship with the president, Rob Manuel, but I, you know, I just didn't didn't know. I remember woke up in the morning, I'm eating breakfast and I'm kind of got my head down and my wife says, "They're going to give you the job, dumb butt." So, [laughter] so I was just like just, you know, you want it to come true.
But I I've seen this go sideways so many time. I've been doing, you know, I've been in business a long time. Only one person has to say no and it's and there's a problem. So, it's a great feeling. It was uh the best feeling. So, I imagine you've enjoyed it ever since.
Yeah. You know, I I I mean, you know, we have fun. Kids and I have fun. The coaches I you know, we've had some our coaches have gone, you know, our our Nicholls coach from two years ago, uh, is with the Chargers. He's the assistant safeties coach. Our our our co-coordinator last year is the linebacker's coach at MI at Miami.
Our Dline coach in 19 is the Dline coach at Michigan. Uh, you know, I've I've been able to hire some really good young coaches. Now, they're going to stay, but they're going to leave, but I'm able to get them when they're young and and get some really good coaches. So, and that, you know, the university lets, you know, you know, we we they enable me to get those people. So, you know, and our our offense coordinator this last year is the head coach of Sageno Valley. So, nah, that's a [clears throat] good program.
Paul grad. Hey, there we go. Yeah. So, played quarterback, Michael Engel. That's Oh, okay. Yeah.
Yeah. Good man. Good coach. So, sounds like you're developing these guys. Oh, we're, you know, I we're we're we're having some success and it's fun. You know, I I hate, you know, December because I'm hiring coaches every year, but you know, I'm able to hire good.
We hired, you know, we hired three good ones this in December this year. So, it's uh and you don't do that without support from the ministration. So, that's, you know, and the kids know, the kids know, hey, we hate to lose coaches, but they know we're going to go out and get some good coaches and guys, because I know everybody. I can, you know, you mentioned Kevin Lynch. You know, Kevin and I talk, you know, at least twice a week. You know, he's my guy.
So, but I I've got a big pool of guys I can draw for and we and we everybody talks and I got this who's your safety who's your next safeties coach and we we we're always talking about it because, you know, it's going to happen. But, of course, but it's, you know, but that's I kind of like that part of it in terms of just going out and and hiring some new guys and develop some young guys and uh uh we've been very fortunate. I love our staff this year. I mean, they've they we we're close. We're have a bunch of fun and you know, it's only fun if you win though. And they're only taking your coaches if you win.
So you're doing you're doing something right obviously. And I I mean that's an interesting point I guess I've never thought of is like you try to get the the players they're like oh he's got a lot of potential. We can really coach him. But with coaches too I wonder if you can see that like oh he's got potential if he gets in our program. You interview him and you you got to make a decision. He goes you make a bad decision.
Those guys don't leave. [laughter] The bad ones stay just like I did. I love it. Oh, that's interesting. Uh, what did anything surprise you? Again, you had you'd been part of the program for a while.
You knew the program, you knew U, Indie, but did anything surprise you of what came with being head coach? Um, you know, I don't think I was surprised. Bart did a good job of, you know, uh, going, you know, just teaching me and and and but I, you know, I I you're always, you just got to keep pushing. Yeah. I, you know, and I and I wear my athletic director. Kim P is wonderful.
She's been great. She just got hired a couple years ago and she's doing a wonderful job at our place. Uh, and you know, and I but you're constantly fighting. You're not fighting. You're you're supporting your players. You're trying to get more.
You're trying to get more. You're trying to better the program. And I told her, I said, "When I stop coming in here and asking for stuff, that's when it's time to fire me [laughter] because I'm done." But, you know, it's just it's it's a you know, it's not a battle, but it's it is you've got to you've got to have energy and you've got to keep, you know, Bill Lynch said it, you know, when I got hired when I got hired at UND, I drove down the next week and I went to Depal and I I spent, you know, three hours with him and uh uh asked him all kinds of things. It's my favorite thing. I I said, "Hey, I heard about you had a schedule when you were at Indiana.
You're in 2010, your your your weekly schedule." And he looked at me, he goes, "Kers, how long you've been at UND?" I said, "This was like 25 years." And he said, "You know what? You've been there. You know what it takes to win?
Make your own damn schedule." [laughter] Like, "Okay." Right. Coach Lynch was my uh college football coach at uh Depal and one of the best guys. I We talked to Kevin for 20 minutes about his dad and just how much he Bill Lynch. I worked camps with him all summer.
I spent a lot of time during the summer at Depal. Yeah. With all those guys. Really good people. and and u you know but but that's I you know I did I go and met with Bill first when I became a head coach just trying to get more information you know and you know and he's he did it a lot of different levels and a lot of different places and right so you know it was it was a lot of fun I like Bill I we still see you know we we we go down with with this lake and and with George Dury and and we always we get go out to dinner with Bill sometimes it's nice it's good to see him some great coach coaches you've been surrounded by Bill Lynch Bob Bartalo know Joe Tiller as a position coach. What What was Joe Tiller like before Joe Tiller?
Joe was mean as hell. [laughter] I don't like talking ill of the dead, but he was he was uh uh Joe was not you know he always cracked me up when I saw him on, you know, as a head coach. He was a jolly kind of grandpa guy. I was like that's exactly I was like where's that guy? [laughter] He was he was uh uh an interesting charact you know and now you got to understand this was you know this was 86 the last year of Leon Burton's uh last year of his contract and the pressure in that building was ready to pop and uh you know so it was and I was brought we had Juke we had two Jo and Bill Gilde my buddy from Cfield we brought it they brought in from Purdue to to make it happen and we we started but we weren't killing it so it was Uh uh it was an interesting year. It was you know he you could you could just feel the frustration in the building and no no that's what guys don't understand.
They're like I always tell guys that because you know we'll have some guys transfer. I'm like guys you don't know you're in you're in you know this is this is you know this is as good as it gets in football. You win you around good teammates. You go somewhere else selfish guys and and and coaches under pressure and and it it's not as fun. Trickles down like you said. Oh yeah.
It's it it's so so I like Joe. I'm not I'm going to badmouth [laughter] the man who's passed away, but he he was we played Notre Dame one time and and they uh they're on national television. They they beat us like a drum at Notre Dame and we're in there watching tape and he he stops it about halfway through. He I'm going to stop watching this cuz I'm gonna hate you guys more than I hate you now. You guys watch it on your own. He left at halftime.
We like Okay. Oh my word. It was uh uh [laughter] it was it was an experience. I bet. That's so funny. But but what uh a a trio.
I mean, I just named three, but I imagine you've run in with so many others who've shaped the way you deal with kids or look at things or handle your own program. And it's pretty cool crop of coaches to be surrounded. Well, I you know I that and being a father, you know, I because I mean, you know, I I raised four kids and that's the best thing I've ever done. And and that's the beauty of I was at UND and I raised those kids and you know we stayed you know mostly one house you know you know and and you know stayed in Indianapolis and got to raise you know the kids had you know they didn't move around all the time and you know they didn't they didn't have to you know I didn't make any money any money but I we were we were in one place. Yeah that's big. So, uh, uh, no, it's it, you know, being a parent, you know, just learning, you know, I I treat and I treat my players a lot like I treat my kids.
Just, you know, I'm firm. I'm consistent, but I love them. And if they need some need something, I'm there. And that's and those kids, they know that. And and when you do that, you know, they they they support you, you know, they it's when things get tough, they don't crumble, you know, they don't fall apart. they, you know, there's a foundation, you know, of of care and trust and love and and uh uh you know, that's that's how we do it.
That's really cool. Yeah, it so fortunate because in this coaching industry, moving around is like price of admission a lot of times. I I was talking to coach Mikey Removich and I mean he's been everywhere all around and he was telling me about how when he got the the Ball State job from Butler and they'd actually didn't have to move houses and just what a relief that was for his kids and his wife and Oh yeah. got choked up because it's like you guys are human beings with wives and children like Yeah. It's hard, right? You're doing what you love but it's hard sometimes.
But you've been very fortunate in that way. Yeah. No, I and I've made that decision. I mean, I just didn't I was going to I just I'm not going to chase the money. You know, I'm you know, I pretty easy to keep me happy. So, [laughter] I don't I love it.
I uh uh you know, I I really like you know, I like where I'm at. I love the people. I you know, love the administration. Like I said, our ad campaign, you know, our president's dynamite. We got some things going. We're building a new dome.
We're we're they're they're going to they're they're going to really fix up our team room. We've got a donor that's I don't know if he wants me to tell his name so I won't say but [laughter] giving us we're going to fix our team room up and and we got some things going that uh excited you know about this game we're excited I mean I'm excited about this this football game that's that you know I I we played in 15 and 16 the last time they were Marian was at our place they beat us 38-6 really and that's the worst beating we've had since about 2010 really Yeah, they And when when was that? That was 2016. That's the last time you guys have played. Is that right? Yeah, we played 1516 and then we just started playing again last year.
It was the first time. So, we've only played each other three times. Wow. So, so is there like a I do want to talk about this. It's the monumental matchup Mary and UND. Thursday, August 27th.
A six o'clock tip or tip. Six o'clock kick kick. Come on now. Uh so get out there. It is at UNDI. Okay.
Is is there a certain pride there? It's, you know, NIA D2, but both scholarship programs. Yeah. And, you know, we all know each other and we all, you know, we recruit, you know, some of the same guys and and you know, everybody's downtown and they all hang out together, the both sides, uh, when they're downtown. So, it, you know, it's it's a uh, you know, and we, you know, I said it's a lot of we know everybody. Everybody knows us.
Yeah. you know, so it's it's you know, there's there's a you know, there's it's a big it's an emotional game. Yeah. You know, I talked to our players about it today, you know, just because we were we practiced this morning and we were getting after each other and people were going it was getting pretty pretty heated and I said, "Hey, you know, you got to control yourself, you know, cuz that's the way it's going to be in in nine days." So, uh uh so yeah, it's I mean it's a big game in Indianapolis. We'd love you come out.
I mean, you want to see some good football. you know, they they were they didn't they they lost to us last year and that was it. Wow. We finished 10th in the country last year and we lost two games. So, uh uh so it's I mean you know it's a it's a heck it's going to be a heck of a football game. High level football and I imagine a ton of indie kids represented, right?
I mean and our indie kids are jacked up because all their friends play for Marian. Yeah. You know, and you know, like I said, so it's it's uh and they're going to be fired up. you know, we had a good game last year, played well, and you know, and like I said, it's the only game they lost. So, I mean, they got a good football team and they're going to come, you know, and and you know, but I uh I I go back to last time they were at Key Stadium and they put 38 out and we haven't had that happen in a long time. So, uh you know, we're going to have chip on our shoulder, too.
I mean, that's uh uh it's good. It's healthy. It's healthy for for both programs. You know, it's it's uh uh you know, it's it's fun for the community. I hope we can get, you know, we had we had a great crowd. I hope we can get some uh uh some uh uh people out there and like we've last time we played Marion at our place, it was a it was packed.
So that's cool. See, I like that when the city takes ownership in that game last year, they they brought in extra stands. It was packed. It was Oh, cool. I like that. That's that's good stuff right there.
All right. So, Marry and UNDY August 27th, we're definitely going to be there. That's going to be a lot of fun. Okay. Okay. You mentioned a lot of fun stuff happening with you Indie.
Changing conferences. Yes. Uh next year. Does that take effect? I believe next year. Yep.
Yep. Yep. Okay. So, from the GLVC to the GMAC. From your perspective football-wise, what does that mean? I'm thinking like Finley and Ashland.
Yeah. Thomas Moore, something like that. We played last year. Both Finley and Ashley, the two best teams we played last year, you know, non-conference. We play this year. We play Finley.
We don't Ashlin had a contract with uh with Grand Valley. We couldn't get it. So, but you know, we were going to play them anyway. Those I mean, so, uh, I like the switching leagues. I I like the league we're in, but just dis it's for the kids, the trips we take. Right now, we're going to take six hour.
Our trips are going to average six hours a game. Average. Average. Next year, it's averaging three hours. See, that's much better. No, it's better for the kids.
They get home on Saturday night. They want to go out and have some fun. They get to go out and have some fun. and that, you know, that you that's not that's important, you know, and they get they get to go to school longer and they get to, you know, and they're well more well rested and then, you know, we're going to spend a whole day less on a bus nice in 27 and than 26. So, I did the math. I was, but uh uh no, it's, you know, so you know, we're not I told him we'll talk about the new conference in in December.
you know, we you know, everybody's coming for us last time we play them and and it's, you know, it's going to be a real challenge for us and our football team, you know, but we always get everybody's best shot. I mean, we're used to that. I mean, that's we're going to, you know, Marian's going to come out here. I mean, like, you know, they're going to they're going to attack us. They're going to be jacked up and we will be, too. I mean, our this, you know, it's not hard to get excited about this football game.
No, we love it. We're itching for football around these parts. I see like Tiffen, Hillsdale, Northwood, Davenport. So that's kind of some teams. No, Davenport's out. They're Oh, Davenport's out.
They're in the Gleak. They're in the Gleak. Oh, it does say affiliate here. Yeah. So, so Walsh, does that sound right? Balone.
Okay. They're really good teams. Cedarville, they're they don't play basketball. Yeah. So, so in terms of Northwood has made the playoffs last two years. Okay.
Tiffen's made the layout playoffs last year. Two years. Finley's made the playoffs and so does Ashlin. four of those teams and you know and then we've made the playoff. So you're going to have a team with five play you know five a league with five teams that have made the playoffs. So that that's a uh that's good stuff.
That's you know it's good for our kids and you know it's going to so you know I don't want to you know we got unfin we got to you know we got to we're in the JVC and we got to you know we got to finish and we can't think about I haven't talked to the guys about it at all. So it's not I could care less. That's December. We're uh uh you know, we're locking in on our conference and you know, cuz they're coming for us. I love it. So, speaking of this iteration of UND football, what can we expect from 2026 UND football?
You know, uh uh a little bit different style on offense. You know, we've got five tight ends that have played and have scored touchdowns in college football games, which you never find. We got because we had we we our our stud tight end, Luke Chambers, uh 65, 260, missed all last year. So, we went took three freshman. they all play, [laughter] you know. And then we had we had another senior uh who's who's injured right now, Wilkkey.
Uh but he was uh he was dynamite. He's more of a pass receiver, but he's also, you know, he's big enough to block. So, we have we got five of them right now that that they can play. So, we we'll be in, you know, we're going to be in some more 12 out, you know, 12 personnel, two tight ends, one one uh one tailback uh yeah personnel group. So, you know, but you know, we'll still we still have three receivers, uh, two, you know, three senior receivers that have played all four years. Two of them has started for four years and they and they and they're they can go.
They they're both Tennessee and they can go. One of them was was the conference, uh, special needs player of the year. Great punt returner, kick returner. So, uh, we got some speed. Uh, Garrett Cheryl, the tailback from Brownsburg. Oh, I loved watching him play.
He's dynamite. I loved it. We got three tail backs. So, uh, you know, our quarterback position right now, you know, we've had a we've had a battle, but, uh, uh, Nick Patterson from, uh, from Morsville, who played at Sagenol, transfer back, nice is right now in the lead, and he's playing, you know, he played well this morning. He hit some ball. He hit some, some long passes on us.
So, u, you know, so, you know, and he can run a little bit and, you know, more of a downhill physical big Mike linebacker. I love it. Go in my room. So, I coach I I still coach the inside linebackers. I I I didn't Head coaches don't co I'm coaching a position. I love that.
I like hanging around the kids. I mean, I like, you know, I want to be part of it. I don't want to just be the guy outside. So, linebackers is a good group, too. Yeah. Oh, they're fun.
They like football. So, and they're fun to be around. So, so and you know, so and then on defense, you know, Alvin, our best player last year was Alvin Contrus. Uh he's a top 100 player in division 2. He's from Ben Davis High School. You know, he's he was the MVP of our defense as a sophomore.
Wow. He's a he's a player player player. And then uh you know we got Eli Leopas who's also top 100 division two. He's from Chicago as an engineering student. Brilliant great player. Uh so we've got some talent.
We got about eight back on defense. Seven eight you know you know we have a D and that played a lot. Didn't start but he played a lot. So really seven back on defense. So you know we got you know a couple linebackers. Three in the secondary you know and two on D line.
So you know it's we we're physical. We're always good on defense. We're going to stop the run, make you throw it, and you know that we're going to do what we do. That's that's us. So, uh, and then, you know, we got to be, you know, our kicker's back. Got a great special teams.
You know, we'll be good on special teams. We got to get a great punter and we got, you know, kicks field goals. And he was a freshman last year and was really good. So, nice. Like uh uh uh like our football team. Think we got a chance.
You know, we got to keep going. We got to we got to finish the week. And we'll start on uh we'll end camp really tomorrow and then we start on uh Marion on Thursday. Nice. Yeah. Thursday game.
You mind that? That's kind of a cool little deal, you know. Does that affect the prep at all? Oh, it does. Yeah, I'm sure it does. Sunday's Tuesday.
Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] So, I wrote it on my calendar. So, uh uh that's funny. Didn't go to junior college, [laughter] but uh uh No. So, Sunday to Tuesday and uh um so yeah, it is uh it's different, but we did it last year, you know, and uh liked our schedule and kids liked it.
So, uh you know, we're we're staying with it. Good deal. Uh have you seen like the transfer portal NIL infiltrate division 2, you know, is that a is that a thing you still deal with? Does it make it harder, easier? Does the talent get pushed down or I don't know. We do lose guys every year to transfer portal.
We lost defensive end from Jame to James Madison. You know, we lost a uh offensive center to Lamar. So, we do we get it. I mean, you know, guys are getting offered money. Our quarterback stayed. He was the second best player in division 2.
He could have went out and made a bunch of money and he stayed cuz he wanted to be with his friends and he wanted to play here, wanted to win a national championship. And then uh and you know, we got to 10th. you know, he made it to the second round of the playoffs. And then we have a big tackle that's 65 335 and uh Tyler Leupold, you know, the Chargers were in yesterday. The Chiefs were in the day before. Jeez.
Uh you know, he could have gone Big 10, you know, and made money and, you know, he's up he just finished up his engineering degree. He's getting his masters in business. He's like, I'm going to make money. [laughter] So, uh he'll be fine. Yeah. So, yeah, I don't think he's in trouble about, you know, have any [laughter] financial difficulties.
So, uh, you know, we do get hit with it. It's part of our, you know, it's, you know, and I advise kids. I mean, I'm I'm, you know, I used to, you know, when they, you know, we have a Lawrence Strickland plays for the Lions. Mhm. And he transf graduated and transferred out, but he had a COVID and a red shirt. So, he went to he transferred to Ball State for two years.
So, when he when he uh said he was going to transfer, I walked him over to the administration. He's in the trans now. I just tell the guys, hey, you know, if you if you uh if you know, if you want to if you don't get what you want, we'll bring you back. Yeah. You know, so that's nice. We got a we've had about, you know, we've had three of them come back.
So, you know, they don't get, you know, cuz if you're if you're playing if you're that FC, you know, us and FCS, not much difference. I agree. There's not much difference. I agree. And I mean, if you go to, you know, middle pack or or lower FCS, that ain't no fun. They get a new team every year.
That thing's a dis. You know, I never considered that. But D2 and FCS are very similar in I mean and well, you're going to go to a place where you're going to lose half your team every year and it's there's no, you know, there's no together we win. So, [laughter] that's us. It's hard to come by anymore. Yeah.
So, I mean, we we we keep our guys. We do lose a couple. Uh, but that's part of it. That's interesting. You know, it's we're not, you know, it's we are who we are. Guys graduate.
who graduated 21 23 last year, 24 the year before that, and 21 the year before that in the transfer portal era. So, we're graduating our guys, and you know, and they're my son was one of them last year. He's out making money. So, nice off the payroll. We love that. So, uh you know, we're we're getting it done.
We're you know, the guys are leaving with degrees and they're leaving with, you know, got last class left with with four rings in a row. So, we're doing all right. Doing all right. Five conference championships as your time in head co as head coach, right? Okay. So, what is the next step for you indie football?
Do you think you know we're trying to win national championship? Yeah. You know, last year we wanted to win playoff games and we we won one and came down the very last minute, you know, being you know, got beat by a mano. It was very disappointing, you know, but uh uh you know, our goal is win national championship. I mean, that's that's that's the next thing we want to do. Uh that's our next step.
We've been in the playoffs, you know, numerous times. You know, now, you know, we we've won since 2011. We won three playoff games. You know, we got to win more playoff games and we got to, you know, we don't win the national championship. That's the bottom line. Bottom line.
We love to hear that. I mean, you guys, it's just been a staple. I mean, the the if the goalpost is moving, that's a good thing, right? I mean, you've been to the playoffs, been to the playoffs, got to the second round, and now it's like we want more. Yeah. We hosted two home games last year.
That was that's awesome. That was a bunch of fun. That was cool for the community and and and good for our players. Yeah, no question about it. All right. Well, this has been awesome, coach.
I really do appreciate you making time during football season. I have one final question for you that we ask all of our guests and I cannot think of a better person who's been in Indiana as long as you have. But what is it that makes sports in Indiana so special in your opinion? The support. I think people care about sports. I mean, it's a Midwest, you know, it's like, you know, these the Midwest values, you know, the people here in Indiana.
You know, I like I said, you know, I I went to I still get chills thinking about it going out and watching our basketball team when I was in high school play for the regional championship at Hankle Fieldhouse. I mean, you know, that I'm getting chills right now. You know, we you know, it's it's you know, when we played, we went and played Caramel High School in 1980 at North Central. Why we were there, I have no idea. But uh uh so we played them in the playoffs and the place is packed and we you know we lose a close game and and you know it's it's it's the people they love sports and and I grew up in that community and I love sports and I've always loved you know football and and I love basketball. Not very good but I love I got cut.
Roger Schroeder cut me in uh my uh my after in my sophomore year. Yeah. You're not bitter though. No, Roger was on that team, the Hooers. He was the backup of the guard. Really?
Yeah. Oh my word. All name drop. [laughter] I play poker with him still. Oh my god. He's 85 still.
He's a monster. So, uh uh No, it's uh uh it's it's it's the community. People support. We get great crowds. We get great tailgate and guys have a you know, I love, you know, I love our game days at University of Indianapolis. Got to come out and see us.
I mean, you got to come out and see that game. You know, it's going to be you got to fight the traffic, but it's going to be worth it. You know, six o'clock on Thursday the 27th at Key Stadium. Please come out, check us out. It's it's going to be a battle. Ted's going to get him going and and we're going to have a it'll be a battle.
It's a hidden gem. Not only this matchup between Marian and UNDY, but just UNDY Marian home games, things that maybe not a lot of you have done or gone to, but it's going to be a great time if you do. And it's going to be good football. I don't think people quite understand. Very good football. There's no question.
It's good ball. It's good stuff. Division 2 UN Indie. This is coach Chris Keevers. 58 and4 as head coach of the Hounds. Thank you so much for coming on.
We really do appreciate it. And you're in the thraws of football. And I mean, it's here. It's here. So, by the time you're listening to this, we'll be less than a week away. The monumental matchup August 27th at UNDY.
Marian at UNDY. 6 o'clock kickoff. It's going to be a whole lot of fun. Thanks again, coach. Thank you. We appreciate it.
All right. Hey, keep listening to Get In Sports. We have Kevin Lynch coming up next week, head coach of Butler. We have Mikey Removich coming up the week after that, head coach of Ball State. We're just rolling out. We're rolling out football for you.
It's going to be a whole lot of fun. And keep listening to get in sports with Don Miranda.